 Suárez playing forColombia in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luis Javier Suárez Charris[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1997-12-02)2 December 1997 (age 28) | ||
| Place of birth | Santa Marta, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sporting CP | ||
| Number | 97 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leones | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2017 | Leones | 8 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | →Granada B (loan) | 35 | (5) |
| 2017–2020 | Watford | 0 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | →Valladolid B (loan) | 34 | (11) |
| 2018–2019 | →Gimnàstic (loan) | 36 | (7) |
| 2019–2020 | →Zaragoza (loan) | 38 | (19) |
| 2020–2022 | Granada | 64 | (13) |
| 2022–2023 | Marseille | 7 | (3) |
| 2023 | →Almería (loan) | 21 | (4) |
| 2023–2025 | Almería | 56 | (33) |
| 2025– | Sporting CP | 21 | (19) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2020– | Colombia | 8 | (4) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 February 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Luis Javier Suárez Charris (born 2 December 1997) is a Colombian professionalfootballer who plays as aforward forPrimeira Liga clubSporting CP and theColombia national team.
After beginning his career in Colombia withLeones, he moved to Spain withGranada B in 2016, followed by loans atValladolid B in 2017,Gimnàstic in 2018, andZaragoza in 2019. In 2020, he signed forGranada, before joiningMarseille in 2022. He later moved toAlmería in 2023, a deal made permanent after the club securedLa Liga safety. He finished as theSegunda División top scorer in 2025, before transferring toSporting CP later that year.
Suárez made his senior debut for theColombia in 2020 in a World Cup qualifier againstUruguay.
Born inSanta Marta, Suárez made his senior debut withLeones on 5 October 2015, coming on as a second-halfsubstitute in a 1–3Categoría Primera B away loss againstAmérica de Cali. The following 1 March, after eight first-team appearances, he was loaned toGranada CF until 2017 with a buyout clause, and was assigned tothe reserves inSegunda División B.[3]
On 17 July 2017, after having his federative rights assigned toWatford, Suárez was loaned toReal Valladolid B in the third division for a year.[4] The following 9 July, after scoring 11 goals, he joinedSegunda División sideGimnàstic de Tarragona also in a temporary deal.[5]
Suárez made his professional debut on 20 August 2018, replacingTete Morente late into a 1–1 home draw againstTenerife.[6] He scored his first goal on 7 October, netting the equalizer in a 1–1 draw atCádiz.
On 21 June 2019, Suárez was loaned toReal Zaragoza, still in the Spanish second division.[7] He endedthe regular season with 19 goals, being the team's top goalscorer, but was not allowed to play inthe play-offs as his loan ended.[8]
Suárez signed for Granada CF on a 5-year contract ahead of the2020–21 La Liga season, making his first sustained appearances in Spanish top‑flight and European competition.[9]
He scored in Granada’s 2–1 victory againstOmonia Nicosia in theUEFA Europa League group stage, giving Granada the lead early in the match at the Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes on 26 November 2020.[10] Prior to that, he had also helped Granada to stretch their unbeaten run in the competition with a goal in a 2–0 away win against Omonia in Cyprus earlier in the group phase.[11]
In domestic league action, Suárez played regularly across the season and contributed offensively. He opened the scoring for Granada in a 2–0 home win againstCA Osasuna in January 2021, striking early in the match to give his side the advantage.[12] Granada finished the season in the middle of the league table, consolidating their status following the previous season’s European qualification.
In the2021–22 season, Suárez continued to be a first‑team figure for Granada. He scored the opening goal in a 1–1 draw againstValencia on 21 August 2021, giving Granada an early lead before the hosts levelled the match later in the game.[13] Across the campaign, he remained one of Granada’s regular attacking players, contributing goals and minutes in La Liga as the team battled to maintain top‑flight status.[14][15]
Despite individual contributions, Granada struggled for consistency throughout the season and were ultimately relegated after finishing 18th in La Liga.[16]
On 18 July 2022, Suárez signed for French clubOlympique de Marseille ahead of the2022–23 Ligue 1 season.[17]
Suárez made his debut on 7 August 2022 in the opening match of the Ligue 1 campaign againstReims at theStade Vélodrome. He scored twice in the 4–1 victory to secure the win for Marseille.[18][19]
Despite his bright start, Suárez’s playing time became limited as the 2022–23 Ligue 1 season progressed, and he scored only three goals in domestic competition — including a debut brace against Reims and a goal againstAngers — before departing Marseille on loan toAlmería in the winter transfer window.[20][21][22]
Suárez joinedUD Almería on loan from Marseille in December 2022, with an obligatory purchase clause if the club avoided relegation from La Liga.[23]
He made his competitive debut in a league match againstReal Sociedad in January 2023.[24]
On 26 April, Suárez scored the first goal in a 2–1 away win againstGetafe, giving Almería the lead early in the match.[25] He added a second goal in the 58th minute to secure the victory.[26] Almería finished the season in 17th place, avoiding relegation and activating the purchase clause for Suárez.[27]
Suárez scored his first goal of the season on 26 September 2023, converting a penalty in a 5–1 away defeat toSevilla in La Liga.[28]
On 1 October, he scored the opening goal in a 3–3 home draw against his ex-team Granada in La Liga.[29] He scored again four minutes later to make it 2–0, and completed a first-half hat-trick one minute after that to put Almería 3–0 up at halftime.[30] Suárez suffered a partial fibula fracture during the match and was sidelined for several months.[31] Almería finished the season in the relegation zone and were relegated to theSegunda División.
In the Segunda División, Suárez scored the opening goal on 18 December 2024 in a 4–1 away win againstRacing de Ferrol, giving Almería the lead.[32] He added a second goal from a penalty later in the match to make it 2–1, and scored again in the 83rd minute to complete a hat-trick.[33]
On 23 October, Suárez scored the opener in a 3–3 draw against Granada.[34] He scored again in the 44th minute to make it 2–0, and completed his first-half hat-trick one minute later to put Almería 3–0 at halftime.[35]
In theCopa del Rey, Suárez scored a hat-trick on 4 January in a 4–1 victory over Sevilla.[36]
Suárez scored the opener on 15 January 2025 in a 2–3 Copa del Rey loss toLeganés.[37]
On 4 March 2025, he scored from a penalty in the 42nd minute to open the scoring in a 2–1 home win overRacing de Ferrol and added a second goal in the 51st minute to seal the victory.[38]
Across all competitions, Suárez scored 31 goals for Almería, including 27 league goals, which made him the top scorer of the Segunda División season and earned him Pichichi Trophy.[39] At the end of the 2024–25 season, Suárez transferred toSporting CP in July 2025.[40][41]
On 28 July 2025,Primeira Liga side Sporting CP announced the signing of Suárez until 2030, for a reported transfer fee of €25 million including add-ons.[42]
A month later, on 17 August, he scored his first goals by netting a brace in a 6–0 win overArouca.[43] Later that year, on 1 October, he netted his firstUEFA Champions League goal by converting a penalty in a 2–1 away defeat toNapoli.[44] On January 20th, Suarez netted both goals in a surprise 2–1 victory overParis Saint-Germain.
On 12 November 2020, Suárez debuted for the Colombian senior team againstUruguay.[45] Portuguese football managerCarlos Queiroz was the national coach of Colombia when Suárez was named to represent the national team and accepted the invitation, although he was also becoming eligible to represent the Spain national football team as well.[46] On 9 September 2025 againstVenezuela he scored four goals (42', 50', 59', 67')in a World Cup Qualifier inEstadio Monumental de Maturín in the city of Maturín, Monagas in Venezuela.[47]
Known for his explosive pace, direct attacking style and powerful finishing, Suárez operates primarily as a center-forward but can shift to wide positions, especially on the left, where he cuts in using his dominant right foot. These characteristics and player traits are not detrimental to make him being regarded as a player with the ability to score goals with his strong left foot as well.[48] His game relies on rapid acceleration, strong physical presence, and clever movement inside the box. Suárez excels in counterattacks and transitional phases, making him a constant threat when his team regains possession. With high intensity on and off the ball, he contributes not only with goals but also with assists and pressing duties.[3][49]
Suárez holds Spanish passport in addition to his Colombian citizenship and therefore is acitizen of the European Union.[50] He has a tattoo on his left arm depicting a lion, describing an identification with the animal "because of its personality and character, and the tenacity with which it protects its pack".[51]
Luis Suárez faced a domestic violence accusation in court. The Colombian forward was detained on December 11, 2024, after his ex-wife filed a complaint for physical and psychological abuse. The alleged victim highlighted several episodes of physical, psychological, and social violence that reportedly occurred in Granada and Marseille between 2020 and 2023, accusations that the player always denied. Suárez's request to visit their shared son, after the couple had been separated for about a year, triggered the complaint of his ex-wife. The case went to the domestic violence court in Granada where an agreement was ultimately reached between the parties.[52][53]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leones | 2015 | Categoría Primera B | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Granada B (loan) | 2016–17 | Segunda División B | 35 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 35 | 5 | ||||
| Watford | 2017–18 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Valladolid B (loan) | 2017–18 | Segunda División B | 34 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 11 | ||||
| Gimnàstic (loan) | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 36 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 37 | 7 | |||
| Zaragoza (loan) | 2019–20 | Segunda División | 38 | 19 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 39 | 19 | |||
| Granada | 2020–21 | La Liga | 27 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 8[c] | 2 | — | 37 | 7 | ||
| 2021–22 | La Liga | 37 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 64 | 13 | 3 | 0 | — | 8 | 2 | — | 75 | 15 | ||||
| Marseille | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[d] | 0 | — | 11 | 3 | ||
| Almería (loan) | 2022–23 | La Liga | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 21 | 4 | |||
| Almería | 2023–24 | La Liga | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 6 | |||
| 2024–25 | Segunda División | 41 | 27 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | 43 | 31 | ||||
| Almería total | 77 | 37 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | 79 | 41 | |||||
| Sporting CP | 2025–26 | Primeira Liga | 20 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8[d] | 4 | 1[e] | 0 | 34 | 26 |
| Career total | 319 | 114 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 352 | 127 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 4 | |
| Total | 8 | 4 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 September 2025 | Estadio Monumental,Maturín, Venezuela | 6 |  Venezuela | 2–2 | 6–3 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 3–2 | ||||||
| 3 | 4–2 | ||||||
| 4 | 5–2 |
Individual
